Solar power is becoming an increasingly popular investment in Australia. Last year, more than 9500 solar panels were installed each day on average. However, there is still a lot of information out there about solar, particularly when it comes to upkeep, reliability and cost. Here are five myths that prospective first-time buyers need to know.

Dear Lifehacker, I have a simple question. Solar or wind power - which is more efficient for the home user? Is the Tesla Powerwall any good? Thanks, Ollateatakai

If you spend any time away from easily accessible electricity, like hiking or camping, then you know the frustration of not being able to readily charge your electronic devices. As well have being inconvenient, it can be a safety issue if you need to be able to broadcast your location or call for help. The Choetech Foldable Solar Charger could be the solution.

Graphene isn't the only game-changing material to come out of a lab. From aerogels nearly as light as air to metamaterials that manipulate light, here are six supermaterials that have the potential to transform the world of the future.

Video: Earlier this month, Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter to offer his help to rebuild Puerto Rico's power grid, damaged by Hurricane Maria. True to his word, the company provided a solar panel and battery storage array to Hospital del Niño, a children's hospital in San Juan.

Today, teams from around the globe will be fanging their way across the Australian desert. Their mission: to harness the power of the sun for honour, glory and sustainability.

Welcome to Bridgestone's World Solar Challenge.

Port Augusta is about to get a $650 million, 150-megawatt solar thermal power plant - with plans to have it up and running by 2020. South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill announced that the plant could lead to lower power prices, as well as supplying all of the power needed for state government projects.

But what do experts have to say?

Last Friday, world-famous entrepreneur Elon Musk jetted into Adelaide to kick off Australia’s long-delayed battery revolution. The Tesla founder joined South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill and the international chief executive of French windfarm developer Neoen, Romain Desrousseaux, to announce what will be the world’s largest battery installation.

The battery tender won by Tesla was a key measure enacted by the South Australian government in response to the statewide blackout in September 2016, together with the construction of a 250 megawatt gas-fired power station.

You may have heard about Australian Chief Scientist Alan Finkel's review into Australia's electricity network. You may also have read about its implications on the industry or the environment, but you're probably still wondering what exactly it will mean for you and your electricity bill. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Finkel review's blueprint for Australian electricity.

Melbourne's first Powerwall 2 has been installed at a three-bedroom, one storey house in Coburg. Brendan Fahey and his wife Josephine added Tesla's shiny new battery to their home to complement their existing solar panels, after Brendan calculated that the Powerwall 2 could take his energy bill down almost to zero.

In sunny Australia, household rooftop solar can be a great way to generate some of your own power, and potentially save money off your electrical bill. Thanks to recent technology improvements and price reductions, home battery storage makes it possible to store the sun’s energy and use it again at night. But as more and more players enter the market, which option is right for you?

After having been announced last September and slated for release before the end of 2015, the first shipment of Tesla Powerwalls to our shores is a touch delayed, but is finally here. The first Powerwalls have now been installed in Sydney's Hills District.

Reposit Power is pioneering a new take on the traditional power station. It doesn't have a generator running on dirty coal -- but neither does it have huge fields of wind turbines or solar panels. Instead, Reposit's 'power station' consists of a network of homes across Australia that have solar panels and battery storage, and want to sell their power back into the grid in a smarter way.

Thanks to strict government regulations, inefficient lighting in homes has quickly becoming a thing of the past. While compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) have been around for a while, the far more efficient technology of LED lighting is now cheap enough to justify an upgrade. But which brands offer the best efficiency?

There are numerous benefits to making your home solar powered -- and more than a few pitfalls. Here's what you need to know about solar powering your home in Australia.

A solar power rig strong enough for powering a laptop and a few other gadgets is useful whether you need it during emergencies or just want to save some power. You can build your own rig for around $100.

If you need a way to charge your gadgets on the go, and you're not particularly fond of also having to charge a battery, let the sun do half of the work for you. Instructables user andrea biffi demonstrates how to make your own solar USB battery with four ports.

Turn your garden into a thriving, self-sustaining oasis with this solar powered water automation system.

We've shown you how to create a streaming, motion-detecting surveillance system with a few webcams, but if you want to watch the outside of your house, you're going to be running cables. Redditor cheapguitar came up with this clever mod for your outdoor cameras, which connects them via Wi-Fi and charges them with solar power.